1991

Environmental charter set forth

As concerns for the Earth's environment increased throughout the world, Panasonic has taken the lead in the global move for corporate environmental responsibility. In 1991, Panasonic drew up the "Environmental Charter". This charter calls for the adoption of the latest environmentally-friendly technologies and processes. Each operating unit in Panasonic group is pursuing its business activities within the charter's environmental parameters.

Innovative Product: 1/2-inch broadcasting digital VTR "D-3"

A digital VTR that combined a digital camera with a digital VTR, the 1/2-inch broadcasting digital VTR "D-3", was developed in 1991. This model was adopted by the Barcelona Olympic Committee as the official broadcasting VTR in 1992 (a total of 1,200 units were used).

Innovative Product: Cellular phone "Mova P"

The cellular phone "Mova P", the TZ-804, had a significant impact on the cellular phone market by realizing the world's smallest and lightest receiver in 1991. It used a Ni-H (nickel hydrogen) battery for the first time in a mobile communications device. It also adopted new technologies in a wide range of fields, including a lower voltage requirement and an ultra-high packaging density, thus contributing greatly to the later development of batteries, electronic devices, production technology, and the industry as a whole.

Innovative Product: Rewritable optical disc recorder

The industry's first rewritable optical disc recorder for pictures, the LQ-4100, was developed in 1991 to meet the image information age. A magneto-optical recording system was employed with an erasure system to produce a disc and drive having a high S/N ratio. It allowed TV image signals to be recorded on a 30-cm optical disc for 30 minutes and the recorded image signals to be erased, thus making the disc rewritable. It led the way to the subsequent development of the DVD recorder and other optical disc recorders for recording and reproducing images.